From: Santa
by August08
Summary: When seven-year-old Donnie sets out to prove the story of Santa Claus false, he discovers something that far outweighs the cold logic he holds so dear...The warmth of the magic of Christmas.


**A/N**: Merry Christmas and happy holidays! Here's a little holiday present to all of you. Hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing

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><p>He was a turtle of science; of logic. There was no question he didn't have the answer to. So, it came as no surprise, really, that when he was old enough to understand the world around him that he would find a logical explanation for everything; especially when it came to the stories Splinter would tell them around a certain holiday or whenever him or one of his brothers lost a tooth. Losing a tooth was easy to explain. Instead of a fairy that came in the night, Splinter would just very carefully lift up their pillow and replace the tooth underneath with a quarter. The Easter Bunny was also easy to explain away. Again, it was Splinter who hid the brightly colored candy eggs throughout the lair.<p>

But, there was one story, no matter how hard he tried, that he could never be able to explain away. The man in the red suit: Santa Claus. All of his brothers believed, even Leonardo and Raphael, two of the brothers he had never expected to believe in such a nonsense story. He thought only Michelangelo would take the story of the jolly old man with flying deer to heart. But, then again, they were only seven. His brothers would always make fun of him for being too smart for his age. However, no matter how many times his brothers would try to convince him, Donatello just could not get behind the belief that some old guy went around the world in a sleigh pulled by flying deer giving out gifts to children in one night.

So, here he was. Rigging up the lair to capture the truth behind how all of their gifts ended up under the Christmas tree every year. He was going to prove that it wasn't Santa, but really Splinter behind it. Donatello set up a video camera aimed directly at the Christmas tree, but kept it well out of sight. Footsteps padded up and an innocent voice sounded.

"Are you sure about this, Donnie?" Michelangelo asked.

"Still out to prove that Santa isn't real, huh?" Leonardo wanted to know.

Donatello finished setting up the camera and turned to face his brothers. "I would have thought that you of all people would see the folly in such an outrageous story, Leo," he said to his blue masked sibling.

Leonardo shrugged. "It makes the holidays more magical," he replied.

"There's no such thing as magic," Donatello stated.

"Sure there is," Michelangelo told him. "Santa's reindeer fly. That's magic."

Donatello shook his head. "Mikey. Mikey. Mikey," he sighed. "If only you could see reason."

Michelangelo's baby blue eyes began to grow wet and his lower lip began to quiver. Raphael walked up and patted his little brother on the head.

"Don't let Scrooge get ya down, bro," he said. "He's just sore that he didn't get that new chemistry set last year."

Donatello felt his face burn. "If Santa really did exist he would have known about that," he said hotly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, you _did_ almost burn the kitchen down," Michelangelo pointed out. "Maybe you were on Santa's naughty list."

Donatello's face burned even more. "There is no naughty list because there is no Santa," he stated sharply. "And I'm going to prove it."

He stormed off towards the kitchen. Michelangelo looked from Raphael to Leonardo, his eyes anxious.

"Is there really no Santa?" he asked with a shaky voice.

"Of course there's a Santa, Mikey," Leonardo told him with a smile. "Donnie just hasn't found him, yet."

The brothers turned at once when they heard footsteps scuff across the floor. Splinter walked into the room and smiled down at his sons.

"It is well past your bedtime, my sons," he said. "You know Santa will not come when you are still awake."

Michelangelo turned towards the kitchen. "Come on, Donnie. We need to go to bed so Santa can come," he called out.

Donatello came out of the kitchen holding a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. He set them down on a table beside the tree and brushed his hands together. The trap had been set. With one final look at the hidden camera, Donatello followed his brothers into their room. He couldn't help but feel confident that this year he was finally going to prove the myth of Santa Claus false.

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><p>"Donnie! Donnie! Donnie! Wake up!" Michelangelo called.<p>

Donatello cracked his eyes open to see his baby brother bouncing up and down beside his bed. "What is it?" he asked groggily.

"He came! Santa came!" Michelangelo said excitedly.

All sleep instantly left Donatello's body and he shot out of bed, nearly knocking Michelangelo over in the process. He ran out into the living room and found brightly wrapped gifts piled high under the tree. Donatello looked over at the table and found the milk and cookies were gone. Michelangelo came up behind him and grabbed his arm.

"Let's see what Santa brought us," he said, pulling Donatello towards the Christmas tree.

Splinter began handing out the presents and the brothers tore into them with excitement. Soon, the floor was littered with paper and brand new toys were put on display. Donatello couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He still didn't get his chemistry set. He was about to take his toys into his room when Splinter pulled one last present out from behind the tree. It was wrapped in paper the same color purple as Donatello's mask.

"Donatello, this is for you," Splinter said, handing over the large rectangular shaped present.

"Donnie gets an extra gift?" Michelangelo asked. "No fair."

"What is it?" Leonardo and Raphael asked curiously.

Donatello tore off the paper and his eyes grew wide. A small gasp escaped him as he stared down at the chemistry set he had been hoping for. A note was taped to the front of the box. Donatello picked it up, unfolded it and read it.

_Dear Donatello,_

_Please forgive me for the lateness of this gift. The elves were working so hard to finish it in time for Christmas last year, but it just wasn't good enough. They spent the entire year perfecting it and just finished last night. I made an extra trip to your home to make sure you got it in time for Christmas day. I hope you find this set as special as you are._

_Merry Christmas,_

_Santa_

"Wow," Michelangelo breathed in awe. "You're so lucky. You know you can never throw that note out, right?"

"That...that doesn't mean anything," Donatello said, uncertainly. Then he remembered something. "The camera!"

He put the box and note down and ran to where the camera was hidden. He pulled it out and rewound the tape. His brothers gathered around him as he hit play. There was a collective gasp from all four as they watched a man in a red suit place presents under the tree before helping himself to the milk and cookies. Donatello couldn't believe his eyes. The man in the video was clearly not Splinter. He was a human man with a full white beard and white hair sticking out from a white rimmed red hat and dressed in a fancy red suit. The man turned towards the camera as if he knew it was there and waved, a big smile on his face.

"Merry Christmas, Hamato family," he said.

Then the tape cut out. Donatello stood there in stunned silence while his brothers began chattering away excitedly that Santa had visited them. Splinter walked over to Donatello and knelt down next to his son, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay, Donatello?" Splinter asked.

"Maybe...maybe I was wrong," Donatello said quietly. "Maybe there are some things that science really can't explain."

Splinter smiled and gave his son a hug. "That, my son, is the magic of Christmas."

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><p>Merry Christmas!<p>

Reviews are welcome, flames are not


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